Pulsator



Feb. 27, 1951 c. J. GLEASON PULSATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug, 27, 1948 r9 af-Wey' Feb. 27y l21951 c. J. GLl-:AsoN

PULSA'IOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1948 Patented Feb.. 27, 1951 'EEN 2,543,284 rnltsrrron Cliiford 3. Gleason, Leicester, Mass. Application August 27, 194.8,Serial No. 46,479

(Cl. 128W-64) l Claim. l

This invention relates to squeezing and pulsating devices particularly adapted for use in the stimulation and reviving of muscular and nerve activity and in the restoration of normal circulation, particularly for use in neuritis, arthritis, bursitis, stiff hands, swollen limbs, and infantile shrunkenlimbs, with far more effective results than possible by hand massage or the like alone.

The principal object or" the invention resides in the provision of Yspecially shaped pulsators so esigned as to be Venabled'to t part of the body of the human being to be treated, as for example a limb thereof, these pulsators being provided with compressed air actuating means providing for pulsation `and there preferably being two such pulsators which are'adapted Vto be supplied with intermittent charges of air, in combination with membranous or thin rubber diaphragms or the like, which are in contact with the body part to be treated and which, therefore, exert pressure intermittently and preferably rythmically thereto; the provision of a pair of pulsating applicators as above described which are selectively adaptable for use in simultaneous or alternate pulsations so that when applied to the body they may both exert pressure at the same time, in either side by side relation or applied to opposite sides of the same member; or they may be applied to pulsate alternately so as to press against one side of a member and then against i the other side of the same member alternately.

Further objects of the invention reside in the provision of pulsator applicators as above described provided with rubber tubing long enough to reach the part of the body to be treated and having belts or webbing to appli7 the same thereto in any desired relation, in combination with the compressed air means above referred to to apply a squeezing eiect stimulating and awakening nerve, muscular and circulatory functions in a unique manner, or selectively capable of being connected up to apply an alternating pulsating effect, for instance, in order to reach deep seated glands where a squeezing eifect cannot be used and yet a deep pulsating effect may be given to cause the glands to disgorge iiuids or to massage the saine so as to enable the glands to function in the right way.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a view in elevation of an applicator according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge View thereof;

Fig. 3 is lan enlarged sectional View on. line 3 3of Fig. l;

Fig. l is an enlarged sectionai view online iii- 1l of Fig. l; Y

Fig. 5 illustrates the two applicators as applied to a member ci the human body arranged for saueezingeect; and

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 showing the device arranged for alternating pulsating eilect.

Reference is hereby made to Patent No. 1,813,905, July 7, i931, which illustrates a foot exercising device operated by compressed air. yThe present invention'is a considerable improvement on the device as shown in the patent, as the present invention shows a construction which may be applied anywhere at all to the human body and whic may have a simultaneous squeezing effect or an alternate pulsating effect, as will be later described.

As shown in l, 2, and 3, the present invention includes primarily a pad-like pulsating applicator or pulsator generally indicated at I!) and it is to be understood that preferably there are two of these and they are used in pairs. Both of them are similar, however, and only one, therefore, needs to be described. Each pad or pulsator is generally elongated and triangular and a little larger than the human hand spread out.

A relatively strong base member indicated at I2 is made of a material such as, for instance, leather, heavy rubber, plastic, and this forms the support for a pipe inlet lll for a pipe or tube i6, more specifically shown in Fig. l and comprising a fitting i8 screw threaded into a Washer 2i] interiorly of the device and held thereto by the member it. The pipe i6 is secured to the tting i 8 by a nut 2 or any other similar or desired device and a tube 24 may be simply slipped onto the pipe I6. l

The same side of the base member l2, which supports the fitting i8, also supports some strong rigid loops 26 for the reception of webbing or belts 28 which may be provided with buckles or the like for adjustably securing the pulsating elements to the body part to be treated.

The opposite surface of the body member i2 is provided with relatively heavy marginal rim 3 which is used to secure in place a membranous or rubber diaphragm 32 capable of extension to the dotted line position clearly shown in Fig. 3 by means of compressed air being introduced into the pulsator through the pipe i6. The rim Sil, diaphragm 32 and base member i2 are all secured together as by fasteners 35i.

One form of use of the device is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein a pair of pulsator applicators are secured to opposite sides of an arm of the patient by means of the webs or belts 28 and the pipes I6 are secured by their tubes 24 to a tting 36 receiving compressed air as, for instance, from a cylinder 38 so that the diaphragms of both applicators I 0 are dilated at the same time to provide a deep seated squeezing effect on the member secured between the applicators.

However, if desired to impart an alternating pulsating eiect, the tubes 24 are replaced by pipes 40 which are secured to opposite ends of an air cylinder 42, whereby one diaphragm is dilated while the other one is collapsed, thus providing for an alternating pulsating effect as applied to the body member of the patient.

This apparatus may be used not only for a mere massaging action but also to provide means compressing the arteries or the veins for a short space of time and releasing the same to encourage circulation and by repeated action this is believed to reestablish channels of circulation so that disorders resulting from poor circulation are greatly benefited.

By applying the device or both devices to the f each including a stiff elongated at 'oase tapering in width from one end to the other, a flexible diaphragm corresponding in shape to the base, means for securing the diaphragm to the base at their peripheries only, leaving the remainder of the diaphragm free to expand from the base under the application of fluid pressure, said securing means comprising a rigid marginal rim and fasteners for securing together the marginal rim, base and diaphragm, means for supplying iiuid pressure to each diaphragm comprising a rigid tubular tting extending through the base to but not through the expansible portion of the diaphragm, a tube extending from each fitting to a single source of pulsating pressure, and means for simultaneously securing the applicators to the human anatomy, comprising stiff web-receiving loops carried by the base adjacent opposite ends thereof and Webs extending through corresponding loops for binding the applicators to the human anatomy.

CLIFFORD J. GLEASON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 635,801 McLean Oct. 31, 1899 1.646,59@ Mildenberg Oct. 25, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Coimtry Date 343,237 Italy Sept. 18, 1936 481,849 France Oct. 31, 1916 

